Indy 500 fans effort to ‘bump Trump’ from pace car gains momentum

Comments made by real estate mogul and potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump in relation to President Barack Obama‘s birth certificate haven’t gone over too well with some racing fans. Thousands have joined a Facebook effort dedicated to pressuring Indianapolis 500 organizers to remove Trump as pace car driver.

The page, “We Don’t Want Donald Trump to Drive the Indy 500 Pace Car,” began on Facebook April 8, according to Indystar, and currently has nearly 12,000 “likes” by Facebook users — at least 1,000 happening Wednesday. In addition to the “official” page, users have also posted comments directly to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, corporate sponsor IZOD and pace car program sponsor Chevrolet.

“Driving the pace car should not be used as a sound board for some terrible businessman to spew his political aspirations,” said racing fan Chris Hughes, Indianapolis. “Especially with this being the 100th anniversary.”

The speedway announced April 5 that Trump would drive the pace car, which was before Trump was widely considered a part of 2012 presidential field. Officials noted that they have received calls both for and against Trump’s participation.

A local group of Baptist ministers joined the movement Tuesday by issuing a statement that it is deeply concerned about the “petulant, poisonous and racist remarks” made by Trump.

Also, Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson said recently on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Trump’s comments about Obama’s ability to get into Harvard despite not being a “good student” was racist, as it questioned a black man’s intelligence.

The Baptist Ministers Alliance of Indianapolis and Vicinity called on IMS to immediately rescind its invitation to Trump.

“(We) believe that the leadership and management of the IMS are people of integrity and good will, and we are hopeful that (they) will do right thing,” said Stephen J. Clay, president of the organization.

Supporters of the effort, who will likely attend the race regardless of Trump’s participation, are now considering race-day protest methods if their attempts to oust Trump fail.

“In racing when a driver shouldn’t be on the track we waive a black flag, so the thought has come along, well, if Donald Trump comes by in a pace car how many black flags can be waving?” Michael Wallack, founder of the Facebook movement, told a local Fox affiliate.